Measure of Worth
by DarkBlacknoid
Summary: *Another short fic by me. Following "Legion"* 2nd in series


Measure of Worth ****

Measure of Worth 

* * *

It was cold. The sun hadn't risen yet to warm the blueberry planet that Snowlily called home. Although she knew that Cybertron was her real home, the snow cat couldn't remember that it was. Megatron had stolen all of that, and he didn't even bother to read her memory files himself! He just discarded them like nothing important. Her past was an enigma, though maybe she didn't want to know. Snowlily grew tired of always thinking about that all the time. Optimus forgets that whatever he thinks she hears as well. He pondered that a lot, which in a way was none of his business. It annoyed her at times, but it was just hard to get used to. He also worried about Megatron. He hadn't shown his face since Snowlily had been reprogrammed. Optimus, as of now, tried waking himself so he could get the day started. Snowlily sensed that and decided to see what needed to be done for the day. As the lift pulled up, Optimus entered the control room with sleep still in his eyes. 

"Snowlily, what are you doing up already?" Optimus asked. Cheetor had had the night watch and answered. 

"She came out here early this morning and wanted to look at the stars." The commander turned to Snowlily. 

"Why?" 

"You and Megatron didn't allow me a peaceful sleep. Your dreams kept waking me up!" 

"Sorry. I can't control my dreams very well," he laughed. Snowlily returned the laugh with her own. Dinobot stalked in and like usual he grunted under his breath at Snowlily. 

"What's the matter Dinobot? Wake up on the wrong side of the nest?" Cheetor mocked him. 

"At least I don't have a teddy bear that I have to cuddle up to." Cheetor looked away, what Dinobot said hurt him. 

"Oh, so how would you know anything about Cheetor? You never talk to anyone." Snowlily tried to cripple the raptor's pride to no avail. The response was nothing more than a low growl. The snow-cat rolled her optics; he would be difficult to reach, but not unreachable. Suddenly, Megaron's wits kicked in. The greatest idea out of all great ideas popped into her head. 

"Optimus!" 

"Huh?!" her call startled him. 

"Shh! I need you to do me a favor. Could you change the patrol schedules to where me and Dinobot are together?" She hardly could contain her excitement. 

"Umm, I guess. What are you planning to do?" 

"He has to get used to me sometime. And the only way to achieve that is to spend time with him." 

"You know that none of us have moved him yet, and he doesn't trust you." 

"I know…O please, Optimus!" Snowlily gave him a puppy dog look. Optimus sighed aloud and Cheetor sent a weird glance. 

"Alright. I'll take his place on patrol today and he can man the sensors with you." Snowlily physically hugged Optimus and ran off in the back, which puzzled Cheetor even more. Dinobot however never flinched. 

"Big-Bot? What was that all about?" 

"Nothing, Cheetor. Nothing." He turned to Dinobot. "Dinobot, I'm taking your place on patrol today. I want you to stay here this time." The raptor-bot shifted to look him in the face. 

"What?" He almost yelled. 

"I'm taking your place. Have a problem with that?" He clenched his claws together but nodded in agreement. Rhinox and Rattrap finally entered stretching and yawning. Optimus told them all their patrol routes and they headed off. 

* * *

When Snowlily returned to the command room, Dinobot was settled at the computer. She took her place to his right, and looked at him. He desperately tried to ignore her. 

"You don't like me." Dinobot didn't look up or even answer. "Care to tell what you don't like about me." Still no answer. "I'm trying to make a conversation here." Fists hitting the console made her jump. 

"Look! I dislike anyone I can't trust. And I don't like to talk to Maximals. Maximals don't understand." He chanced a glance at her who was glaring at him. Eyes narrowed, head bent. Last time he saw her like that she was still Snow Phantom. 

"Who are YOU callin' a Maximal?!" Dinobot was taken aback by the counterattack. "I would have you know that I am more Predacon than Maximal. So please don't tell me that I wouldn't understand." 

"You give Predacons a bad name!" 

"Well I guess you're in the same boat with me, because if I recall you joined the Maximals, too." 

"I am only here because I hate Megatron more than I hate the Maximals." 

"Oh, I see! So we can't trust you either, huh?" Dinobot roared at her and she roared back, and then Snowlily dropped down in her chair laughing. Dinobot seriously didn't know what to think. 

"You! Ha! Ha!" she gasped for breath. "You should nave seen the look on your face! Ha! Ha!" He turned away from her and attempted to ignore her again. "Oh, come on, Dinobot! Learn to have a little fun. Your so serious!" she slapped his shoulder and he growled at her. "Ugh, your hopeless…" The next few minutes passed by in silence. Then Snowlily spoke up. 

"I don't want to be your enemy." 

"You are not." 

"Well…what then?" 

"You're a female." 

"Well that's good. We're getting somewhere." 

"And your fighting skills, they…" Snowlily crossed her arms and smiled at him challengingly. 

"Yess?" 

"Let's just say you need help." He turned from her again fiddling with the controls. She sat thinking; I have to get on his good side. So I have to prove first that I can fight. She suddenly screamed out finger pointing to the lift. 

"Dinobot! It's Megatron!" Snowlily knew this was cruel, but that's what he likes, right? Immediately he seized his sword, looking for the Predacon. No one was there. Dinobot faced Snowlily again and met a fist to the jaw. He crashed into the wall, his head reeling, that was a good hit. "Come on! Are you afraid you're gonna hurt me?" That did it. Dinobot charged at her knocking her to the floor. He flung his fists into her one after the other. Snowlily managed to slide her foot up to his chest throwing him off. Landing on his back, the cat-bot had the upper hand. Snowlily would show him! 

* * *

Meanwhile outside the base a tyrannosaurs rex stood with a giant fire ant behind him. Megatron scanned the area for Maximals. He already knew Snow Phantom was inside that's all that mattered to him at the moment. He hadn't known that Snow Phantom had changed her name to Snowlily. He sensed her being distracted by something or someone. Therefore she paid no heed that he Megatron was outside waiting to strike. He had planted a small bomb so, as it would catch her attention. The time was now as he detonated the bomb. 

* * *

Inside Dinobot had swung at Snowlily making her fall, then the ship shook violently. The raptor-bot who was standing was now on is knees. He looked towards Snowlily, who stared at nothing behind him. Her violet eyes were wide and her mouth was open in disbelief. 

"What's the matter?" he asked. Her voice wavered and small answered. 

"Megatron's here…" she started to yell. "He's come to take me back!" No words were said as he hopped up and boarded the lift. "Where are you going?" 

"I'm engaging the enemy. You're staying here." He disappeared down the elevator leaving Snowlily alone. 

"What? He can't face them alone." She headed for the lift to assist Dinobot. When she reached the bottom, Megaron had Dinobot on the ground, obviously Dinobot didn't expect Inferno to be there also. Megatron opened the mouth of his gun to fire. 

"NO! Stop! Don't hurt him!" Megatron turned to see her soar through the air side-kicking him. Landing on top of him she confronted him. "I won't let you kill him, Megatron!" Megatron grabbed her around the waist with his tyrannosaur head, pinning her arms to her sides. Snowlily was only a few inches taller than Rattrap so Megatron had no problem lifting her. 

"Why do you plead this traitor's life? You should not care, Snow Phantom. What have the Maximals done to you?" There was a tone of worry in his voice, almost tender-like. 

"My name is Snowlily now. And I have joined the Maximals. This traitor to whom you refer is my friend, which I will not let you harm." Snowlily tried her best to look brave though she feared for Dinobot, who was now being held at gunpoint by Inferno. Megatron looked at her in horror Snowlily could feel it. 

"No…they didn't. You cannot be a Maximal. I will not have it!" He tightened in anger his grip, which made Snowlily wince in pain. "Inferno! Bring him! I'll deal with him personally, and as for you Snow Phantom-" 

"Snowlily!" 

"Whatever! You will be mine again. I'll make sure of that." They all returned to beast mode and Dinobot was bound with energy rings while the Predacon leader made Snowlily walk beside him. Megatron led the way to a rock clearing near steep cliffs. The clearing had definitely been remodeled as a battleground. Snowlily knew why he had brought them there; he was going to fight Dinobot and he would make sure it was the last. He handed Snowlily to Inferno as he released Dinobot. Then Megatron activated something on his wrist; a blue shimmering force surrounded him. The raptor-bot had sword and shield ready for combat. Snowlily called out in her mind to Optimus. Optimus! Hurry! Find us! He's going to kill him! 

"Now Dinobot, let us fight for the last time ever. Yess!" Something inside Megatron revved up and he dug into Dinobot with a fist. He flew backward hitting the rock wall with force. His shield and sword fell from his grip. He could barely get to his feet everything was spinning. He saw a figure stroll up to him picking up his sword; Dinobot charged his eye lasers. Megartron now in front of him pulled his arm back for another swing when Dinobot fired his lasers into his face. The shot didn't even phase him! Megatron let out a billowing laugh. 

"That was so weak Dinobot! Surely you can do better than that!" Megatron continued to drive Dinobot into the dust, which now spilled mech fluid on the rocky surface from an open gash. He was defenseless against the larger Predacon. Pain penetrated every fragment of his body. No! He screamed to himself. This can't be how it ends! Not dishonorably! Megaron knocked him down to the ground, face down in the gravel. Snowlily was being tortured as much as Dinobot. Megatron's joy and pleasure of all this filled her head. The emotions were overwhelming. 

"Now Dinobot you die! Weak…helpless…dishonorably!" He raised the warrior's own sword for the final blow. Then a wailing cry came into his mind, pain and anguish swayed in and out of his circuits. A voice rang out over by his left. 

"STOP IT!!! SNOWLILY MAXIMIZE!!!" 

His head still pounding he turned to the voice but only met a high-heeled foot in the mouth. Megatron's protective shield faded away on impact. Dinobot's sword went flying. Snowlily caught it in a mid-air jump while pulling out her own. She crashed on top of Megatron while using both of the swords to pin his arms down in the rocky ground. Snowlily drove the "spikes" in deeper into the rock, which forced a small cry of pain from the trapped Predacon. He peered into her blazing optics, burning not of hate, but disgust. Inferno lay in pieces where he had Snowlily. The snow-cat bent down to his face. 

"If only, Megatron…if only…" She stepped on his head on her way to Dinobot's side. Snowlily's expression changed radically from a wry look to one of concern. "Dinobot?" she called quietly. His whole body ached; he lay there with face solemn. He felt shamed. Dinobot saw Snowlily's small frame reach down and take his arm. "Dinobot, hold on to me and return back to beast mode. You will repair faster. Optimus will help us. He isn't far." He'd never seen her like this before. Determination poured over her on to him. He clutched her shoulders trying to stable his feet. Quietly he returned to his raptor mode though it hurt. Snowlily didn't transform; she was intent on getting Dinobot to a CR chamber A.S.A.P. Even if it meant shorting out. They trudged onward; sometimes it seemed Snowlily held up his weight entirely. He didn't know what to say. She saved him from the dishonorable death Megatron had planned for him. He felt he owed her, big time. Dinobot cleared his throat. 

"I owe you my life-" he started. 

"Don't mention it. You don't owe me anything." She sounded grim. He went speechless again. Dinobot had a new respect for her skills and why she is so determined with things. Optimus was her influence that says it all. It's strange to see both the Maximal leader and the Predacon leader inside of her, and also that vague part that is truly the real Snowlily. Finally he found the right words to say to her. 

"If you will not take my life as payment I shall give something else," the raptor paused. "I will be your friend." There he said it. Snowlily had stopped and stared at him. 

"You mean it?" She asked meekly. Dinobot shrugged. 

"Yes." A smile stretched on to her face; it lit up her optics. Dinobot found him staring back into them and quickly shifted his gaze away from her. They started moving again not saying anything. Then Optimus finally showed up and told them Megatron's troops were keeping them busy and that's why it took them awhile to reach them. The Maximals arrived at the base, Dinobot was put in the chamber and he was restored. Snowlily knew that from that day forward things would be different between her and Dinobot, a lot different. 

* * *

The sun was going down again and Megatron stared at the sunset. He would get Snow Phantom back. She was his; he will not let anyone take her away. Megatron vowed that Snow Phantom will surface again and he will crush the Maximals for good! 

* * *


End file.
